Prescription Drug Disposal Program

About the Prescription Drug Disposal Program

Prescription drug abuse is on the rise in Pennsylvania, and District Attorney Stefanie J. Salavantis is doing something about it by installing three (3) secure medicine return boxes that will allow people to dispose of unused and expired prescription and over-the-counter medication safely and anonymously.

“The best way to avoid the risks of prescription drug abuse, especially for children and teenagers, is to safely dispose of medications when they are unused or expired,” said District Attorney Salavantis. “These PA MedReturn drop boxes offer the public a safe, accessible, and convenient alternative to keeping prescription drugs that aren’t being used in the home where they can get in the wrong hands or be disposed of in landfills or down the drain where they can end up in the water supply.”

The PA MedReturn boxes were awarded to the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office through a grant program made possible by a partnership between the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association, the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs and the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency as part of Governor Tom Corbett’s Healthy PA initiative.

“Governor Corbett’s Healthy PA initiative focuses on ensuring safe and appropriate access to prescription medications,” said Gary Tennis, Secretary of Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. “Our goal in creating this program is to provide education opportunities for the public, while reducing drug abuse and dependency.”

Prescription drug abuse is the nation’s fastest-growing drug problem and has been classified an epidemic by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In recent years, district attorneys across Pennsylvania have seen an increase in teenage pill parties, driving under the influence, and a dramatic increase in the use of heroin all related to prescription drug addiction.